


Under Their Silence

by angediary



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst and Romance, Complicated mutual pining, F/M, Implied/Referenced Sex, Love/Hate, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27947327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angediary/pseuds/angediary
Summary: Over and over again, Reira did her best to hate him but it became more difficult after a certain night they spent together. It might be too late for anything to happen between them, she had to leave within a few days.
Relationships: Reira/Akihito





	Under Their Silence

That night of pleasure was a mistake.

Sleeping with Akihito was intended to spare her from all of his flirting and teasing, to put an end so he won’t bother her anymore.

After all, that was what a frivolous womanizer would do, right? Reira expected Akihito would no longer be interested in her once he had what he wanted. To end his interest in her once and for all. 

Perhaps, also for Reira to prove to herself that she felt nothing for him, who awakened all the bad memories from being hurt, betrayed by a someone in the past, someone who just like Akihito. 

To convince herself that it wasn’t her heart he wanted, but pleasure.

However— 

These past few days she could barely escape Akihito’s attention, he didn’t even mind the blatant rejections Reira kept throwing at him. All he did was give her even more attention, doting on her, even through their game of cat and mouse as Reira avoided him whenever she could.

But, living together in a mansion lessened her chance to escape him. It was almost impossible.

At nightfall, she settled on the bench in the gazebo for a breath of fresh air.

“Only a few more days then this will be over.” Reira whispered to the night, bitterness laced her voice. Shouldn’t she be happy at the thought of returning home? Leaving this mansion and all the residents behind, to finally rid Akihito from her life?

No matter what, she didn’t feel as happy as she should.

Reira hugged herself tighter, her back leaned against the white bench. The night wasn’t quite cold and she desperately wanted this bitterness to go away. A soft sigh left her lips while her eyes staring to the distance. Every other resident must be having their dinner by now, Reira finished hers faster earlier to avoid a certain someone.

How foolish of her to think he would stay away.

Tonight was no different. Akihito’s figure emerged from the door, a sly smile spread across his face as his gaze found hers. Immediately, Reira stood and strode through the gazebo’s threshold with all the intention to avoid him — she refused to meet his gaze as they both walked from the opposite direction.

Akihito stepped slightly to the side and blocked her path, he kept blocking her when she sidestepped him. “Leaving already? I thought we could have a romantic tryst under the gazebo’s roof, luv.”

Reira sighed exasperatedly, looking up to him with a glare. “A tryst? As if I ever wanted such with you.”

He leaned down a little to level their gazes, his finger tilted her chin upward while his sly smile never faltered. “Do I need to remind you of that night of pleasure, you accepted my offer that night — why not have a romantic tryst for once? No one would see us in this darkness.”

“I’m not doing _that_ again.” Reira swatted his hand away but Akihito was quick to turn her around by her shoulders, the next moment all she knew was being dragged back into the gazebo. “Hey, I’m not agreeing yet!”

Her protests were responded with a chuckle as they entered the gazebo, he urged her to sit on the bench. “Shall we sit, Reira, luv? The night is too lovely to not be enjoyed together.”

With pursed lips, she sat down, avoiding his gaze once again. It used to be easy to walk away from him. Now a part of her demanded to stay.

For some time, Akihito remained silent by watching her from the side while she pretended he didn’t exist at all.

In the end, the silence was broken by Reira herself. It became too unbearable to her liking, if it lasted longer she might say or do the wrong thing. Before that could happen, she spoke, “You know I’m avoiding you on purpose, right?”

“Certainly. You made it obvious enough for all of us to notice.” Sitting leisurely on the same bench, Akihito’s tone was light, a facade of what he truly hid inside.

“Why, then?” _Why do you keep insisting to be close to me, after you got what you wanted?_

He laughed lightly, “I wonder why..” Then, he shifted, closing the space between them on the bench, deliberately tucking the stray strand of her hair behind her ear. “What made you decide to come to my room that night?”

Her lips pressed in a grim line, she didn’t know what to answer, she couldn’t choose the right words to answer such a question. The truth didn’t feel right, and a lie would feel so wrong — so the silence dawned once again.

The sound of the night was aloud in her ears, the hoots of an owl somewhere in the forest, the night breeze caressed her cheeks, _cold_ , like how her heart should be.

Reira could see him staring from her peripheral vision, as if waiting for her answer. All she could say was neither the truth or the lie. “Does it matter? I will return home soon. You can go back chasing skirts in the town like you should be.” Her fingers fidgeted in her lap, anxiousness of those words she had to speak affected her more than it should be. _A flirt, skirt-chaser, that’s who he is, I’m only a temporary distraction just because we live in the same place._

Denial after denial, her hardened heart continued to refuse the truth.

All of a sudden, Akihito took her hand, holding it between both of his own. “If I do that, you won’t mind?” And yet, despite his inquiry, he kissed each of her knuckles, a chaste kiss that was uncharacteristically soft for him.

Then, he pressed his lips on the back of her hand.

A tender, long kiss.

 _No, I can’t let that thought bother me_. “I won’t mind. At all.” Reira answered sharply, the words almost choked her off but she forced them to slip out between her lips. The kisses against her hand caused shivers running up her spine, reminding her of his gentleness, his touches over her bare skin, his kisses.. The memories she tried so hard to forget easily surfaced, she clenched her jaw irritatedly. “Not that it’s my business, just like how you shouldn’t bother with mine.”

He let go of her hand, only to wrap an arm around her shoulders and he whispered close to her ear, “Say the words, and be the only one I laid my eyes upon.”

At those unexpected words, she flinched away from him and rose to her feet. “ _Liar_.” Someone had told her the similar words, that someone had broken her heart to pieces with a horrible betrayal. Who made her distrustful, _broken_.

How could Akihito expect her to ‘say the words’?

He stood as well, caught her hand quite abruptly before she ever stepped out of the gazebo and pulled her into his arms. “I meant it, Reira.” Even though there was no response from her yet he still caged her in his embrace. Warm against the cold night.

There, that night in the gazebo, Reira let him embrace her because in a few days, she won’t ever feel his warmth ever again. Her mouth might utter harsh words, but her heart fluttered in his presence — she had fallen too deep to truly hate him.

Reira’s eyes fluttered close. This silence, this darkness, the warmth of his body against hers, the two strong arms holding her, it became somewhat bearable, somewhat romantic. Her heart began to beat louder, she could hear his heart, beating fast. _Akihito..? Why are you doing this to me? Did you do this to other girls? Am I the same as them?_

Unbeknownst to her, she had been the only one in his mind for a long while.

Ever since the moment he laid his eyes on her.


End file.
